Background

Martin was born in Oamaru in 1870.

Career

He became a dairy farmer at Matangi in the Waikato and had 2 years as president of the Waikato Farmers’ Union. He was Minister of Agriculture from 1935 to 1941 in the First Labour Government, first under Savage and then under Fraser. He was appointed to the Legislative Council on 31 January 1946, and served there until his death on 21 December 1950, only days before the Legislative Council was abolished (on 31 December).

Achievements

• He was unsuccessful when he stood for Hamilton in 1925, but in a 1927 by-election won Raglan, which he held to 1931. He then lost it to Stewart Reid of Reform, but won the electorate back in the 1935 general election.

Membership

He was a painter joined the Labour movement in Wanganui in 1902, was Secretary of the Wanganui Painters’ Union (1909–1912) and, for 4 years, a member of the Wanganui Technical School Board.